Friday the 13th: Why it is deemed unlucky - and other common superstitions

But where did it all start, and why is 13 the 'unlucky number'?

One belief is that it stems from Norse mythology, whereby a dinner party of the gods was ruined by an unwanted 13th guest – Loki, a well-known trickster, who caused the world to be plunged into darkness. Loki arranged for Höðr, the blind son of Odin, to shoot Baldr, his brother, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow.

Another belief comes from the Christian faith, and the story of Jesus's last supper, where there were 13 guests – one of whom was Judas.

The connection of the day, Friday, and the number, 13, might have become synonymous of misfortune in 19th century France. A French play, titled Les Finesses des Gribouille, included a character with a line saying: "I was born on a Friday, December 13th, 1813, from which come all of my misfortunes".

To mark the day, here are the most common superstitions in the UK, according to information from british-study.com

• Breaking a mirror – Some believe that breaking a mirror will result in seven years of bad luck. This harks back to the Roman times, when they believed that mirrors were a portal to the soul, and breaking one would damage the soul.
• Seeing magpies – The black and white birds can signify good or bad luck depending on how many you see. Magpies have been associated with death, so seeing a lone Magpie is said to bring sorrow to one's life. Seeing two, however, is believed to bring luck.
• Placing shoes on the table – Believed to originate from the North of England, this superstition is related to the coal mining industry. When a miner died, their family would place their shoes on the table as a tribute. Therefore, placing shoes on the table was seen to be tempting fate.
• Opening an umbrella inside – In the Victorian era, umbrellas were constructed with steel spokes and opening one indoors could cause injury or eye loss. In ancient Egypt, peacock feathers and papyrus was used to protect people from the sun. Opening them indoors would be seen as an insult to the sun deity 'Ra' and mean you would be cursed.
• Walking under a ladder – In medieval times, people believed a ladder leaning against a wall resembled the gallows, where they used to hang people condemned to death. If someone walked under a ladder, it was believed that they, too, would die at the gallows.
• Crossing paths with a black cat – Black cats are generally believed to be bad luck due to their association with demons and witches. However, in the UK, a black cat walking towards you is said to bring good luck, and if it is walking away from you, it takes its luck with it.